TED演讲:抗击癌症的新式武器(3)

 So, here's our strategy. First, we'll dose the cancer cell with siRNA, the gene¹ blocker, 因此，我们的策略如下。首先，我们将siRNA--基因拦截者，用在癌细胞身上，

and silence those survival genes², and then we'll whop it with a chemo drug. 让（癌细胞的）生存基因失效，然后我们再用化学药品来对付癌细胞。

But how do we carry that out? 但如何实现呢？

Using molecular³ engineering, we can actually design a superweapon that can travel through the bloodstream. 答案是分子工程技术，我们可以设计一种超级武器，能在血液循环中存活下来。

It has to be tiny enough to get through the bloodstream, it's got to be small enough to penetrate⁴ the tumor⁵ tissue, 它必须足够小，才可以进入血液循环，它必须足够小，才可以穿过肿瘤组织，

and it's got to be tiny enough to be taken up inside the cancer cell. 它必须足够小，才可以进入癌细胞内部，

To do this job well, it has to be about one one-hundredth the size of a human hair. 要做到这一点，它的尺寸必须小到头发的百分之一。

Let's take a closer look at how we can build this nanoparticle. 来仔细看一下我们是如何制造这种纳米粒子的。

First, let's start with the nanoparticle core. 首先，我们要制造纳米核。

It's a tiny capsule that contains the chemotherapy drug. 那是一颗小胶囊，内含化学药剂。

This is the poison that will actually end the tumor cell's life. 对肿瘤细胞而言是致命毒药。

Around this core, we'll wrap a very thin, nanometers-thin blanket of siRNA. This is our gene blocker. 在内核周围，我们包上一层很厚的--当然也就几纳米厚的siRNA。这是我们的基因拦截者。

Because siRNA is strongly negatively charged, 因为siRNA带负电，

we can protect it with a nice, protective layer of positively⁶ charged polymer. 我们用一层坚固的，带正电的聚合物来保护它。

The two oppositely charged molecules⁷ stick together through charge attraction, 这两种带有不同电荷的分子相互吸引，

and that provides us with a protective layer that prevents the siRNA from degrading in the bloodstream. We're almost done. 形成一层保护膜，防止siRNA在血液中被降解。别着急，我快说完了。

 

1 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

2 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

3 molecular   

adj.分子的；克分子的

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms.这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。
• For the pressure to become zero, molecular bombardment must cease.当压强趋近于零时，分子的碰撞就停止了。

4 penetrate   

v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解

参考例句：

• Western ideas penetrate slowly through the East.西方观念逐渐传入东方。
• The sunshine could not penetrate where the trees were thickest.阳光不能透入树木最浓密的地方。

5 tumor   

n.（肿）瘤，肿块(英)tumour

参考例句：

• He was died of a malignant tumor.他死于恶性肿瘤。
• The surgeons irradiated the tumor.外科医生用X射线照射那个肿瘤。

6 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

7 molecules   

分子( molecule的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。